Producing equipment for wells



Aug. 14, 1945. A. J. PENICK 2,382,573

PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FOR WELLS Filed June 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Armin/5K Aug. 14, 1945. A J. PENICK PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FOR WELLS Filed June 8. 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

Aug. 14, 1945. A. J. PENICK 2,382,578

PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FOR WELLS I FiledJune 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

with wag;

HTTOIP/VEV.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 PRODUCING EQUIPMENT FOR WELLS Arthur J. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application June 8, 1943, Serial No. 490,093

3 'Claims.

This invention relates to producing equipment for wells.

An object of the invention is to provide equipment of the character described specially adapted for use in producing from a number of strata pierced by the well bore, said equipment including packers for separating the strata whereby production may be carried on from the various strata independently.

The equipment embodies an outer pipe, an in-.

termediate pipe therein with a packing between the outer and intermediate pipes for forming a seal to separate an upper producing'stratum from an intermediate producing stratum with an inner tubing and the packer thereon for forming a seal with the outer pipe for separating said last mentioned stratum from a producing stratum beneath it, the lower end of the outer pipe being reduced in diameter to a diameter not greater than the intermediate pipe so that the tubing and packer thereon may be withdrawn from the well through the intermediate pipe for repairing said packer or replacing it with a new one in case it should develop a leak.

Another object is to provide in equipment of. the character described a novel type of cementing plug for forcing cement downwardly through the outer pipe to cement around said last mentioned pipe.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of parts and use, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a fragmentary, vertical sectional view showing the cementing plug in intermediate position in the well.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary, view showing the plug in its final position to complete the tion.

Figure 3 shows a vertical, sectional view of the lower end of the apparatus installed for produc- Figure 4 shows a vertical, sectional view of a conventional bottom hole choke which may be employed.

Figure 5 shows the well head installed as a part of the equipment and v Figure 6 shows a side elevation partly in section, of the equipment installed in the well.

In the drawings the numeral l designates the ordinary surface casing in the well whose lower vertical, sectional movement toward cementing operaend may be surrounded by the cement 2 as in common practice.

Attached to the upper end of this surface casing there is a casing head 3 having the side outlets 4, 4 and having an inside annular seat 5 above said outlets.

Within the surface casing there is an outer pipe 6 extended down into the well.

Surrounding said outer pipe and supported on the seat 5 there is the annular packing 1 forming a fluid tight seal between the casing head 3 and the outer pipe 6.

Supported on the packing unit 1, within the casing head, there is a slip adapter 8 Whose upper end has a downwardly and outwardly tapering face 9. This adapter has an inside downwardly converging seat I U to receive the wedge shaped slips H whose inner sides are serrated to engage and support the outer pipe 6.

Hold down screws l2 are threaded radially through the casing head and their inner ends are tapered to engage the face 9 so that by screwing them inwardly against the tapered upper end of the adapter, said adapter may be forced downwardly to expand the packing l to form fluid tight seals with the casing head and outer pipe. The hold down screws are surrounded by the seals I 3 confined within the casing head as shown in Figure 1.

Mounted on the outer pipe 6 there is a tubing head l4 having the outflow lines l5, l5 and on which the Christmas tree assembly 16 is mounted as shown in Figure 5.

The lower end of the outer pipe 6 which extends through the lower producing stratum I1 is reduced in diameter said reduced portion being connected to the pipe above by means of the swaged nipple 6a.

The well may be drilled throughout at; a uniform diameter or the lower portion of the bore may be reduced in diameter as shown in the draw mgs.

When the bore is completed the outer pipe may be then installed in the well and secured therein by the slip H. The lower end of said outer pipe is cemented as shown in Figure 3. This is accomplished by placing the required amount of plastic cement in said outer pipe and inserting the cementing plug above itand forcing said plug downwardly by pump pressure to force the cement ahead of it.

A special type of cementing plug has been provided. This plug embodies an outer tubular body l8 and an inner, solid, core I9 which is pinned i the Outer body by means of a frangible pin 20.

The outer body has the upwardly opening cup rings 2|, 2| secured around the upper end thereof as shown in Figure l and the inner core [9 has the upwardly opening cup ring 22 around the upper end thereof and the downwardly opening cup ring 23 around the lower end thereof, said cup rings 22 and 23 being secured in place by the glands 24, 25 and the set screws 26, 21.

The cement is forced downwardly until the outer body l8 lands on the nipple 6a whereby it is stopped. The pump pressure on the liiquid above in the outer pipe 6 will then be built up until the pin 20 is sheared and the inner core or plug l9 will then be forced on down through the reduced lower end of the outer pipe 6, as shown in Figure 2 thus forcing the cement out and said cement will return up on the outer side of the pipe. A sufficient quantity of cement is used to insure the cementing of the pipe up to a point above the producing strata 28, 29.

When the cement has set the outer pipe and the surrounding cement may be perforated, in any selected manner, opposite the strata as shown in Figure 3. However, previous to the perforating operation the outer body [8 of the cementing plug may be drilled out.

The intermediate pipe 30 is then lowered into the well.

The lower end of this pipe 30 carries a packer as 3|. This packer may be of any well known construction which may be expanded into sealing relation with the outer pipe 6, or collapsed. No particular type of packer is shown since their construction and use are well known in the art of well drilling. When lowered into the well, the packer 3| is expanded or set, between the producing strata 28 and 29. If it be desired to wash the well the packer 3| may be collapsed and clean fluid forced down through the intermediate pipe 30 and returned back up through the outer pipe 6 and out through one or both of the outlet pipes l and the packer 3| then again expanded to form a seal with the pipe 6.

The inner tubing 32 may then be lowered into the well. This tubing carries a packer 33 similar to the packer 3!. This packer is lowered into the upper end of the reduced portion of the outer pipe 6 and expanded to form a seal between the lower stratum l7 and the intermediate stratum 28.

In case this packer 33 should leak or for any reason it should be desirable to remove the same. the tubing 32 may be withdrawn and this packer will readily pass upwardly through the intermediate pipe 30 so that the installation of this last mentioned pipe need not be disturbed in withdrawing the tubing 32 and its packing.

Incorporated into the tubing 32, and located beneath the lower end of the intermediate pipe 3 there is a bottom hole choke shown in detail in Figure 4. This choke comprises a tubing section 32a. forming a part of the tubing proper, and having a side outlet 34. Mounted in the lower end of the section 32a there is an upwardly opening valve mechanism 35 which includes the valve 36. Within the tubing section 3211 there is the tubular mandrel 31 having an outlet duct 38 and having upper and lower seals 39 and 40 above and beneath said duct. As shown in Figure 4 the duct 38 registers with the outlet 34 so that clean fluid may he forced down through the tubing and out through the outlet 34 and back up past the packer 3|, when the latter is collapsed as hereinabove explained so as to thoroughly wash out the tubing 32 preparatory to production. Thereafter the mandrel may be moved downwardly to close the outlet 34 and production from production through said outer pipe is carried out through the outlet pipes IS.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What Lclaim is:

1. In producing equipment for wells, a pipe in the well whose lower portion is reduced in diameter forming an inside shoulder, a cementing plug shaped to fit into said pipe and comprising an outer body having a seal therearound of a diameter to fit into the upper portion of the pipe and to land on said shoulder, an inner core or plug in the outer body and having a seal therearound of substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the reduced lower portion of the pipe said inner plug being adapted to move on downwardly through the reduced pipe, as a plunger, to force cement through said pipe.

2. In producing equipment for wells, a pipe in the well whose lower portion is reduced in diameter forming an inside shoulder, a cementing plug shaped to fit into said pipe and comprising an outer body of a diameter to fit into the upper portion of the pipe and to force a load of cement downwardly through the pipe and to land on said shoulder, an inner core or plug-in the outer body and of substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the reduced lower portion of the pipe, a seal ring around the outer body, a seal ring carried by the inner core between the outer body and the inner core whereby upon the further downward movement of the inner plug said cement will be forced on down through the reduced pipe.

3. In producing the equipment for wells, a tubular string formed of an upper pipe and a lower pipe of smaller diameter than the upper pipe and connected to the upper pipe. a plungerlike cementing plug shaped to fit into the upper pipe for forcing a load of cement downwardly through both of said pipes and into the well bore beneath, said cementing plug comprising, an outer body of a diameter to fit closely into the upper pipe but to land on the upper end of the smaller pipe, said plug having an external seal ring therearound to form a seal with the upper pipe, an inner core, or plug, in the outer body of substantially the same diameter as the inside diameter of the smaller pipe, a seal ring around said core to form a seal with the smaller pipe, means releasably securing the inner core in the outer body, said means being releasable under the influence of fluid pressure above when the body lands on the smaller pipe and said inner core, when released, being movable downwardly through the smaller pipe to force the load of cement into the well bore.

ARTHUR J. PENICK. 

